Democrats show largely muted response to arrest of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil

Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American Congresswoman from Michigan, shared a letter on social media Tuesday demanding that immigration authorities release Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist who has never been charged with a crime. The letter only garnered 14 signatures, highlighting the sensitivity of the issue.

For context, there are 220 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, who routinely and openly criticize the actions of the Trump administration. The Senate has 45 Democrats. However, only a handful of self-described progressive members of Congress, including Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Summer Lee, and Al Green, were willing to sign the strongly worded letter, suggesting a division within the party.

The letter states: "We are appalled by the recent unlawful kidnapping and indefinite detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful permanent resident of the United States, by agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and explicitly demand his immediate release from DHS custody." The letter also asserted: "Khalil's arrest is an act of anti-Palestinian racism designed to suppress Palestinian solidarity movements in this country. He is a political prisoner," emphasizing the political nature of the case.

Notably absent from the document was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC. She rose to prominence as a member of the House progressive women's "Squad," but has faced criticism during Israel's war on Gaza for taking what many perceive as a more establishment-friendly stance towards the Democratic Party, creating speculation about her evolving political positions.

After a strong reaction on social media, AOC's chief of staff stated that she would have certainly signed the letter if it wasn't too late, and she was simply "waiting to confirm one detail." He stated on X: "Unfortunately, the letter closed before that detail could be confirmed." A Democratic strategist working on Palestinian advocacy on Capitol Hill told Middle East Eye: "There may have been logistical reasons or just internal Congressional procedural reasons. I think there are more members who are speaking out than who signed this letter," suggesting potential internal dynamics influencing the situation.

Later that day, AOC was found to have signed a similar letter with local New York Democratic colleagues. Columbia University is located in New York City. In Washington, Congressman Jerry Nadler, who also represents New York, stated that he was "closely monitoring the situation," and stated that "arresting any lawful permanent resident without a warrant, seemingly solely for their speech, is a chilling act of McCarthyism," expressing his concern over potential civil liberties violations.

Last year, he spearheaded opposition to a bill that could potentially conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism. He is a graduate of Columbia University. He wrote on X: "If the Trump White House really wants to root out antisemitism in America, they should start with their own administration," suggesting the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing antisemitism.

In the Senate, senior New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer urged due process, but his statement on X contained a clear preface: "I abhor many of the views and policies that Mahmoud Khalil holds and supports and have been vocally critical of antisemitism at Columbia," Schumer wrote. "(Khalil) likely violated various campus rules for protests last year. I encourage (Columbia University) to take stronger steps to combat antisemitism," signaling a nuanced stance balancing concerns over free speech and antisemitism.

Students attending the 2024 National College encampments insist that they oppose Israel's policies and its occupation of Palestine, and that they are not antisemitic. Schumer has long been a supporter of Israel and is the highest-ranking Jewish lawmaker in the United States. "If the government cannot demonstrate that (Khalil) violated any criminal laws to justify taking this drastic action, and is doing so because of the views he espoused, that is wrong and they are violating the protections of the First Amendment," he concluded, emphasizing the importance of protecting free speech rights.

Kevin Rachlin, the Washington Director of the Nexus Project, told MEE that the Democratic response has so far been "measured and correct." The Nexus Project works to "oppose and counter efforts to exploit false charges of antisemitism for political gain." He said: "Most of what I saw, including Schumer and Nadler, emphasized the right of permanent residents to due process and that speech cannot be grounds for deportation. Most also called for transparency from the government," highlighting the emphasis on due process and transparency.

He also added that it would be a "terrible and dangerous move and a harbinger of things to come if the government actually deports someone whose views conflict with its own foreign policy." Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy's reaction to Khalil's arrest has received particular praise. In a three-minute video he posted on X, he elaborated on why all Americans should be concerned about this issue, emphasizing the broader implications for civil liberties.

"(Khalil) opposes Israel's military operation in Gaza. He is deeply hostile to Israeli policy and American support for those policies. Last year, he helped organize protests about Gaza at the university. You can disagree with his views," Murphy said. "He is in jail because of his political speech. Trump chose to start by making a Palestinian immigrant disappear, hoping his place of birth and his immigration status would cause people to look the other way." "Even if you are a staunch Trump supporter, this practice should hit your bottom line," appealing to a broader audience concerned about potential abuses of power.

The Democratic strategist stated that Murphy's reaction was "surprising because we're seeing members of Congress...who have been less willing to criticize U.S.-Israel policy and Israeli human rights abuses, now speaking out on this." The strategist's name has been withheld in order to speak more candidly to MEE. The same is true for Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, whose state is home to one of the largest concentrations of Palestinians in the United States. Durbin's former deputy chief of staff, Reema Dodin, later became the highest-ranking Palestinian in the Biden administration, demonstrating the growing influence of Palestinian voices in American politics.

Hours after Khalil's arrest, Durbin simply wrote on his Democratic Senate Judiciary Committee account: "Free Mahmoud Khalil." The Democratic strategist told MEE: "I appreciate all the advocates, all the protesters, all the people who called members of Congress, and all the people who posted on social media over the last 16 months. Public opinion has shifted rapidly on this issue." "The Democratic Party hasn't caught up to that yet. But this may be the first real example that we're seeing...that it's starting to," suggesting a potential shift in the Democratic Party's stance on the issue, driven by changing public opinion.